www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/local/clld/las.html Free, online, DCSF programme 'Letters and Sounds' designed for KS1. N.B. teaching of reading (synthetic phonics) starts in Phase Two.

www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/L/lost_for_words/help_1.html A simple 5-step guide for parents to teach synthetic phonics.

www.belb.org.uk/teachers/LPTalk/Lesson%20Plans%20Feb.2006.pdf Linguistic phonics lesson plans.

www.nonweiler.demon.co.uk/page9a.html Elizabeth Nonweiler has produced 10 weeks of daily lesson plans based on Jolly Phonics.
.............................................................................................

Debbie Hepplewhite's basic code lesson - example using the phoneme /z/
This is for the classroom but could be easily adapted for teaching a child at home:

Introducing a letter/s-sound correspondence, ideally, should be part of a very simple routine along the following lines:

Quickly revise letter/s-sound correspondences learnt to date. You might use a pack of flash cards of those correspondences or you might use a chart of them on the walls or you could even just write them on the top border of the white board.

Introduce the new sound by whatever method, scheme has been chosen by the school or you can simply say, "This letter represents the sound /z/ and we're going to practise using this for our reading and spelling." (Make sure you say 'zzzzzzzzz' not 'zuh'.)

Write on your board, or make with magnetic letters or letter cards about three or four words with the letter 'z' in different positions in the word. These can range from three letter words to longer words or compound words.

For example, zip, zed, zed-bed, zig-zag, buzz, dizzy.

There should be no emphasis on rhyming words as synthetic phonics introduces words with variety not sameness.

As you and the children sound out the words, point with your index finger under each letter or letter combination sounded out and then when you blend the word, take your finger back to the beginning as you blend.

Make the additional teaching point that the letter 'z' is one of a group of consonants which usually double up after short vowel sounds but not after long vowel sounds: 'fuzz, jazzy, lazy, craze'.

Other consonants which generally do this are: ss, ll, ff.

Then give the children about three or four words to 'segment' orally. Say the chosen word very slowly and ask the children to count the number of sounds in that word: "buzz, b - u - zz".

Write down three dashes on the whiteboard - the same as the number of sounds.

Then, along with the children, say the sounds and write each sound on the dashes.

Provide a handwriting sheet, or practise in an exercise book, or write on whiteboards, but do a quick handwriting of 'z'.

The children should each have a 'sounds' book (see below) in which you write the new correspondence plus about three words with that correspondence in different positions in the word. This can be shared with home ideally.
.....................................................................
A practical activity is for each child to make their own Sound Book/Sound Dictionary. For young children the Sound Book will consist of the letter sounds that make up the transparent code, each one stuck or written in (one on a page) as they progress through the sounds. Add a couple of words which use the new grapheme and ones already taught, to each page, for the child to practice sounding-out and blending. Use the book for daily practice. With older children / teenagers an A4 exercise book is a better option, each double page spread used for one of the 44 sounds with separate column headings for the different spelling variations. The young person writes a selection of useful words in each column to illustrate the spelling pattern, sounding out the individual phonemes as they write each word and underlining the target spelling.
........................................................................
Practical ideas for an Advanced /Complex Code lesson.
Stick to one sound per lesson –example given is for the /a-e/ sound.

Activity 1:Make a ‘Sound Dictionary’ –use Debbie Hepplewhite's very useful resource sheets. She covers all the main sounds in the FREE resources section of her website. If time is limited then just use main spellings for the headings as shown and last column for unusual spellings but high frequency words. www.syntheticphonics.com/word%20documents/a.ai.ay.a_e%20blank%20chart.doc

Use the sheet linked to below (or use the Jolly Phonics Word Book) to make individual word cards for the lesson. At the start of the lesson tell the child ‘the sound of the day’ (get him to repeat it) and tell him that every word in the pile contains that sound. Shuffle the cards. Child sounds-out all through each word and sorts the cards under the different spelling headings. Then, one column and one word at a time (he or you) stick them onto the sheet linked to above. Under each word you draw sound lines (one line for each SOUND in the word) and the child writes the word saying each sound aloud as he writes it. If the child is happy to do so, then the word card could be covered whilst he does the writing. Encourage the student, or point out yourself, any patterns that appear in the different spelling columns. www.syntheticphonics.com/word%20documents/a.ai.ay.a_e%20chart.doc
Time will limit the number of words stuck in and written under –make sure he has a few in each column. Put an elastic band around remaining words (read/ sorted but not stuck in) and clip to top of sheet or make a pocket to add to file.
Sheet placed in ring file.

Activity 2: Dictation of simple, short sentences using the sound worked on in the lesson. Check that the student uses full stops and capital letters correctly. Give help as necessary. Debbie has ‘sentences’ in her resources section or write your own.

Activity 3: Child reads a Sound Story printed on A4 in the synthetic phonic manner i.e. NO guessing, sounding-out all through every word not immediately recognised, help given as necessary. Any remaining time, the child goes through Sound Story and underlines the sound-spellings with coloured pencils –a different colour for each spelling. Examples of sound stories can be found in Stairways www.societyforqualityeducation.org/stairway.html or in Phase Five of the Letters and Sounds programme -see link at top of page.

Between each weekly lesson there should be daily revision – about 10 mins a day – hear the child read (sound–out) all the words stuck on the page plus ones clipped to the page. In the following weeks, as the ‘sound pages’ build up, as many pages as possible should be read through. That week’s story should also be re-read until fluency is achieved and any underlining completed.
.......................................................................................
‘Stop Me!’ Story: An Advanced/Complex Code lesson.
Written for tutors but could be adapted for small groups or classes.
Find a suitable short story or passage and, if possible, print it out to prepare it.
Choose a focus ‘sound’ e.g. /i-e/* Prepare by highlighting all the words that include the sound. Stop once 20-30 different words have been highlighted * see -The Dragon Rock story by Ellena Ashley
www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/childrenindex.html

Read the story to the tutee with the instruction that every time sh/e hears a word with the target sound sh/e calls out ‘Stop!’. It may be necessary to emphasis focus words as you say them, at least initially, with some tutees.

When stopped, the tutor writes the word on a whiteboard (unless it’s already been noted), creating a list of words as the story is read. When a suitable length list of words has been made, the rest of the story/passage can be read straight through to the end.

Once the story is finished, the tutee sounds-out and underlines the target spelling in all the words listed on the board. The tutee then draws lines for the correct number of columns on their own whiteboard (or across 2 pages of an exercise book) and heads each column with a different spelling for the target sound. Sh/e then proceeds to write each word in the correct column, sounding-out and underlining the spelling as they go.
Column headings: i-e | i | y | igh | eigh | eye
Unsorted words from The Dragon Rock story, below:

Lesson adaption: Tutee is given an unmarked copy of the story and reads through it, underlining words with the target sound-spelling as s/he goes, then sorts the words into spelling columns.
Extension exercise: Tutee writes sentences or a story using as many of the focus words as possible.
............................................................
Spelling Focus Lesson (Advanced/Complex code)
Written for tutors but could be adapted for small groups or classes.
The aim of each focus lesson is to over-learn one or two main spellings for a phoneme.
First activity: The tutor writes the ‘Sound of the day’ on the dry-wipe board, then draws up the required number of columns for the main spellings, heads each with a spelling for that sound, plus an end column for unusual spellings with high incidence in print.
e.g. \o-e\
o | oa | o-e (oe) | ow | unusual spellings |
The tutor asks the tutee for examples of words that contain the focus sound. As words are given the tutor writes them in the correct column. The tutor should ensure that each ‘major spelling’ column is full by adding some extra words if necessary. The tutee reads down each column, sounding-out each word, and underlines the spelling with a coloured pen.
Second Activity: Focus on one main spelling for that phoneme.
The tutee draws columns (one for each main spelling) in an exercise book. S/he heads one column with that lesson’s focus spelling e.g. oa. The tutor dictates words for that spelling (include any high frequency words). As each word is given, the tutee counts the number of sounds on his/her fingers before adding it to the column, sounding-out as s/he writes it down. The tutee finishes by underlining the focus spelling with a coloured pencil.
oa
oak
coat
soap
boat
soak
toast
moan
throat

The final activity is to do a dictation of several sentences containing the focus spelling. When the dictation is finished, the tutee reads each sentence aloud and underlines the focus spellings.
e.g. His hot toast fell into the moat.
The fat toad sat on the wet soap.
A red coat was on the old, oak boat.
Two focus spellings may be covered in an hour tutoring session. Cover the remaining main spellings in the following lesson/s. The first activity is repeated at the beginning of each lesson.

Debbie Hepplewhite's Spelling Focus lesson for the classroom: http://Debbielesson.notlong.com
...........................................................................
A practical spelling activity for children working at Advanced/Complex code level:
Make a ‘Word Puzzle’ sheet for each sound when you are introducing the spelling variations of the Advanced Code. These are to practice what has been covered in the lesson and are a synthetic phonic version of 'Look, Say, Cover, Write and Check'. Word Puzzles are A4 sheets divided into small squares, filled with a variety words containing the phoneme that you are working on at the time, one grapheme per square.
For example, the /ow/ sound sheet might have the words
c l ou d y
th ou s a n d s
b r ow n
s u rr ou n d e d
c ow ar d
p r ow l i ng
d ou bt
b ough s
etc.
The instructions are:
1. Read the word and decide how many syllables it has.
2. Cut the word up into individual squares and lay them out in a muddled order. The activity can be made more of a challenge if ALL the words on the sheet are cut up at the beginning, rather than one at a time. If this is done it's important for the tutor or parent to write out a list of all the words BEFORE cutting begins!
3. Reassemble the word, sticking the squares into an A4 lined exercise book, saying each sound as you do so. Some students find it helpful to draw a line for each syllable before reassembling the word .
4. Underline the ‘tricky bit/s’ with a coloured pencil.
5. Look carefully at the word.
6. Cover the word and, underneath it, write the word from memory saying each sound as you do so.
7. Check back and write it again if necessary.
8. Optional. Write a sentence using the word, saying each sound in every word as you write it
9. Optional. Do a dictation of the words or sentences at a later date.
The sticking and colouring adds a kinaesthetic element to this spelling lesson.

N. B. Word Puzzle sheets could be adapted and used by secondary schools for age-appropriate, cross-curricular, spelling practice; teachers would create puzzle sheets+ lists using words specific to their particular subject, each word having previously been worked on (chunked, segmented, tricky bit underlined...), on the board, in the lesson.